Welcome

Welcome to the POZ/AIDSmeds Community Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people with HIV/AIDS, their friends/family/caregivers, and
others concerned about HIV/AIDS. Click on the links below to browse our various forums; scroll down for a glance at the most recent posts; or join in the
conversation yourself by registering on the left side of this page.

Privacy Warning: Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If you are HIV positive
and disclose this in our forums, then it is almost the same thing as telling the whole world (or at least the World Wide Web). If this concerns you, then do not use a
username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.

The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own
physician.

All members of these forums are, by default, not considered to be licensed medical providers. If otherwise, users must clearly define themselves as such.

Forums members must behave at all times with respect and honesty. Posting guidelines, including time-out and banning policies, have been established by the moderators
of these forums. Click here for “Am I Infected?” posting guidelines. Click here for posting guidelines pertaining to all other POZ/AIDSmeds community forums.

We ask all forums members to provide references for health/medical/scientific information they provide, when it is not a personal experience being discussed. Please
provide hyperlinks with full URLs or full citations of published works not available via the Internet. Additionally, all forums members must post information which are
true and correct to their knowledge.

Finished Reading This? You can collapse this or any other box on this page by clicking the
symbol in each box.

Welcome to Am I Infected

IMPORTANT UPDATE
Posted Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Welcome to the "Am I Infected?" POZ forum.

New members -- those who have posted three or fewer messages -- are permitted to post questions and responses, free of charge (make them count!). Ongoing participation in the "Am I Infected?" forum -- posting more than three questions or responses -- requires a paid subscription.

A seven-day subscription
is $9.99, a 30-day subscription is $14.99 and a 90-day subscription is $24.99.

Anyone who needs to post more than three messages in the "Am I Infected?" forum -- including past, present and future POZ Forums members -- will need to subscribe, with
secure payments made via PayPal.

There will be no charge to continue reading threads in the
"Am I Infected?" forum, nor will there be a charge for participating
in any of the Main Forums; Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits; and Off Topic
Forums. Similarly, all POZ and AIDSmeds pages,
including our "How is HIV
Transmitted?" and "Am I Infected? (A
Guide to Testing for HIV)" lessons, will remain accessible to
all.

NOTE: HIV testing questions will still need to be posted in the "Am I
Infected?" forum; attempts to post HIV symptoms or testing questions in any other forums will be considered violations of our rules of membership and subject to time-outs and permanent bans.

To learn how to upgrade your Forums account
to participate beyond three posts in the "Am I Infected?" Forum, please click here.

Thank you for your understanding
and future support of the best online support service for people living with,
affected by and at risk for HIV.

Author
Topic: This can't be hiv...can it? (Read 28704 times)

Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum. You have done both over and over again, don't be suprised when you get your 4 weeks time out.

You have done both over and over again, don't be suprised when you get your 4 weeks time out.

So...is it safe to say that I can have unprotected sex with my girlfriend again? I just want to make sure she doesn't get HIV from me even though I know I know I've tested negative at 12 weeks. I just want to know that I can have unprotected sex with her again.

Whether or not you have unprotected intercourse with your girlfriend depends on whether or not SHE has also tested negative for hiv and all the other STIs as well. If she has - and you are in a committed, monogamous relationship with her - then happy barebacking to the pair of you.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Do you think maybe I just caught a RANDOM virus? It's just very eerily similar to the symptoms of HIV ARS...especially the neuropathy. I've never experienced anything like that before. That, and my doctor's had no answers for what it was...it's just very hard not knowing what/is wrong with me. What do you think?

Please don't do that...I'm trying my best to get through this and I've been seeing a shrink this whole time. Why do I need a TO? I jnust want to know for sure that I DON'T have HIV. I got really sick and no answers for what it was. I'm just worried something might be wrong with me.

You don't need to be on this forum at all. You were given your risk assessment which you were told that you did not have a risk and have been told repeatedly. You do not need to be on this forum, there is nothing anyone can do for you here.

Apparently you don't read any of the replies that everyone has responded to you, try rereading them. It's very evident how we feel. Note: you are not going to get any other replies other than what you have received. No answers are going to change.

Ummm HELLO how can you have HIV if you've never NEVER been exposed to it?

MOVE ON.

Also, Andy said this in the VERY FIRST response.

If this is the only incident you are concerned about then you are reliably HIV negative.

We HAVE been tellin you you don't have it. Problem is you got your fingers in your ears!

« Last Edit: May 06, 2007, 11:50:57 AM by ACinKC »

Logged

LIFE is not a race to the grave with the intention of arriving safelyin a pretty and well-preserved body, but, rather to skid in broadside,thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming--WOW! WHAT ARIDE!!!

Let me rephrase. Unless you have had unprotected anal/vaginal intercourse in the last 12 weeks or shared a needle with someone you are RELIABLY NEGATIVE.

Can I be any more clear on this?!

NO WAY NO HOW do you have HIV. How's that. Better? Let this GOOOOOO.

Logged

LIFE is not a race to the grave with the intention of arriving safelyin a pretty and well-preserved body, but, rather to skid in broadside,thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming--WOW! WHAT ARIDE!!!

How come Dr H from medhelp.org (who is supposedly one of the best STD/HIV doctors in the country) says that HIV through making out happens so rarely that it is considered very low risk. I thought you guys said that HIV has never been transmitted via french kissing. I don't know what or who to believe anymore. How will I know if I am 100% negative from this exposure - do I need to check for other subtypes that maybe haven't been diagnosed yet or HIV 2? Should I do PCR or viral load? I just want to know that I 110% DO NOT have HIV...

Friend...You are obsessing WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much!! You are negative!! Congratulations!! STAY NEGATIVE!! When I lived in NYC, I took an educational course on HIV/AIDS at GMHC (Gay Mens Health Crisis). I learned there is no such thing as SAFE sex...just safER. There are various levels of safe and french kissing falls in THE lowest risk. The reason there isn't a NO risk is that there will probably ALWAYS be someone will will make claim they got HIV in various ways, including kissing.Straight or gay...that doesn't matter. You are an actively sexual man and any place that gives the test will probabaly encourage you to test again if for no other reason but peace of mind.

In the meantime, I will mirror the comments about getting a full STD panel testing. Your chances of contracting syphillis is FAR greater than HIV.

So, are you saying that it is theoretically possible to get HIV through making out? Wouldn't both people have to be bleeding for it to happen? I'm just confused...I thought saliva had something that doesn't allow transmission...if that's the case then why have there been a few documented cases of HIV through GIVING oral sex?

It is theoretically possible for you to win the lottery and get hit by a meteorite on the SAME DAY. It's not going to happen though IS IT? Saliva has 12 known enzymes that break down the HIV virus.

As for GIVING a blow job, it is theoretical risk ONLY. There has not yet been a proven documented case that has eliminated all other avenues of transmission. There is a TON of evidence with sero-discordant couples that proves scientifically that giving and receiving blowjobs is NOT a risk. Personally, my spouse is negative and we NEVER worry about oral sex, and we do that quite often! I wouldnt put her in that kind of danger if I thought in ANY WAY she may become infected. It DOESNT HAPPEN.

You need to try and stop with the what ifs. You are negative. We have told you this repeatedly.

I urge you to seek the help of a mental health professional if you cannot get past your conclusive negative result.

Logged

LIFE is not a race to the grave with the intention of arriving safelyin a pretty and well-preserved body, but, rather to skid in broadside,thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming--WOW! WHAT ARIDE!!!

I guess I'm gonna have to try and let this go...I'm trying really hard. I promise. It's just that...we are now living in the ERA of HIV and it seems like more and more people are becoming infected and don't know how they became infected. Why is it that I CAN'T believe my 12 week negative???

It does not seem like people dont know how they became infected. Using personal reporting as a way of determining transmission vectors has ALWAYS and will ALWAYS be a very ineffective way of gathering appropriate data.

The science tells us how the virus works. As for you letting it go, I cant tell you why you arent. Only that you should seek professional mental health advice if you cannot move on. It works.

Logged

LIFE is not a race to the grave with the intention of arriving safelyin a pretty and well-preserved body, but, rather to skid in broadside,thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming--WOW! WHAT ARIDE!!!

When is testing out to 6 months warranted? Also, with my 12 week negative being that of an HIV 1 rapid test - would that be conclusive or should I test for HIV 2 also and should I test out to 6 months?

We are done with you on this forum, it is time for you to move on. We can't help you in believing your negative results. Apparently you are not trying to help yourself. You've been here long enough to have read the lessons and you haven't taken the time to do that. 71 post is enough for anyone with a reasonable mental aptitude.

I am trying to help myself...that's why I'm seeing a shrink. Is it too much to ask to want to know what the heck was wrong with me? I just want to know and I want to eliminate the most dangerous causes such as HIV. I just want to be 110% sure that I DO NOT have HIV. Should I do any other tests for such things as hepatitis or other random viruses? The neuropathy is still here and I can't help but think it's HIV causing it. All I read about is how HIV ARS/seroconversion causes neuropathy.

No, it's not too much to ask what the heck was wrong with you. However, you need to ask that question of the appropriate people - namely your doctor. We cannot possibly diagnose you here.

You have conclusively ruled hiv out as a possible cause. You were never at risk in the first place with the situation you brought to us. Keep working with your doctor to get to the bottom of what is going on with you. We cannot do anything more for you here.

Keep posting over this no-risk, conclusively hiv negative situation and you will be given a time out to encourage you to look for other causes to your problems. Whatever it is, it is NOT hiv.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Thank you very much for listening and responding to me everyone...On Monday, I went to an infectious disease doctor and she drew blood and tested me for HIV 1/2, EBV, CMV, and mycroplasma bacteria...hopefully, I'll have an answer or diagnosis for what the heck was wrong with me. I find out either this friday or next monday.

Wish me luck. I'm really nervous and just want to know what I had/have.

I'll be ECSTATIC if I get another NEGATIVE HIV test result...but what am I gonna do if everything else is negative too? Do I just forget about it and chalk it up as a random virus that went away or do i continue testing for other causes?

Still no call from my doc...do you happen to know how long it usually takes to test for HIV? Also, it's been about 15 weeks post exposure (making out)...Is it safe to say that 6 months is not needed anymore these days for HIV testing?

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Got my results back today...NEGATIVE for EVERYTHING including HIV!!! My doc said the only thing that was a little fishy was my test for mycoplasma bacteria...She said these tests can be hard to read and may have been my acute illness but that it should go away. Is mycoplasma in any way related to HIV or can I FINALLY put HIV out of my head for good??? It's been 14 weeks since the exposure. I'm assuming this was plenty of time for antibody production and that I don't have to test again at 6 months...am I right? I don't know what else I can possibly test for...

Got my results back today...NEGATIVE for EVERYTHING including HIV!!! My doc said the only thing that was a little fishy was my test for mycoplasma bacteria...She said these tests can be hard to read and may have been my acute illness but that it should go away. Is mycoplasma in any way related to HIV or can I FINALLY put HIV out of my head for good??? It's been 14 weeks since the exposure. I'm assuming this was plenty of time for antibody production and that I don't have to test again at 6 months...am I right? I don't know what else I can possibly test for...

No mycoplasma is not related to HIV in any way whatsoever. You are, as you were told you would be, conclusively HIV negative.

I'm hoping someone can help me. My girlfriend of 5 months and I had unprotected sex late Thursday evening while she was on her period. Little did I know, blood was ALLOVER my penis! I wiped it off right away and took a shower. Well, now I'm scared. Because on Sunday, which is 3 days later, I came down with a terrible flu like illness which I still have today. Spiking fever ranging from 99-103, runny nose, swollen tonsils, puss on tonsils, achy feeling, swollen lymph nodes in neck - i think just my neck though, sore muscles, dry cough, headache. I know symptoms don't mean ANYTHING when it comes to HIV but I'm really scared because this just coincidentally happened after unprotected sex and exposure to blood. Everyone says it's just the flu but who gets the flu in August? I went to see an urgent care doctor and he seems to think it's a bacterial infection. He gave me antibiotics but they have not seemed to do anything. My fever just keeps coming and going. We've been having unprotected sex the entire time we've been together but I have never been exposed to her blood. At the beginning of our relationship, she was pretty adomate about whether or not I had any STDs because she insisted that she was clean. She has a one year old baby - don't they test pregnant women for HIV and other STDs? Can anyone help me out here? I'm very worried. I really DON'T think she has it but I'm so worried because you just never know. PLEASE HELP!!!

I've merged your new thread into your original thread - where you should post all your additional thoughts or questions. It helps us to help you when you keep all your additional thoughts or questions in one thread.

If you need help finding your thread when you come here, click on the "Show own posts" link under your name in the left-hand column of any forum page.

Please also read through the Welcome Thread so you can familiarize yourself with our Forum Posting Guidelines. Thank you for your cooperation.

I take it you and your girlfriend never tested for hiv and all the other STIs TOGETHER before you stopped using condoms. Perhaps you should.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Symptoms of acute hiv infection, if they happen at all, don't happen three days after infection has taken place, they take two to four weeks to turn up.

You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex with a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through all three condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results. Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv.

Maybe it's time you two got complete sexual health care check ups TOGETHER - either that, or start using condoms. It's up to you.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

One last question. Are cold and sinus symptoms with my fever, etc. common symptoms of acute HIV? I've heard that ARS does not include "cold-like" symptoms. What do you think? I guess I shouldn't be worried about the last time we had sex but all the other times were unprotected. I asked her if she had HIV before I got sick because of the blood issue and she looked at me like I was crazy. I just don't know what to think. I'm scared again and don't know when I should test to make sure I'm indeed negative again. I'm scared to ask her to test because she's gonna accuse me of thinking that she indeed has HIV. What should I do!!!?

We're not going to go through all of this with you again. It's up to you to use condoms and protect your own health. Now it's time for you to act like a responsible adult and sit down with your partner and discuss getting sexual health care check ups together.

Nothing you describe sounds like hiv to me - but that doesn't change the fact that you two need to test together before you stop using condoms.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I wrote all of you back here about a year ago about a very low risk...where I made out with a few girls one of which was a stripper in Vegas. 3 weeks later I came down the worst illness of my life. I had high fever like up to 104 for a week and all the other ars like symptoms (especially vomiting, swollen lymph nodes with exudates, sore muscles, fatigue, night sweats, joint pains, weight loss, etc. all lasting about a week or so. I went to the ER because I could not breathe very well because my tonsils were so swollen and my fever was still high. They told me it had to be some sort of virus because I tested negative for influenza, strep throat, mono, etc. - pretty much all the normal viruses. My doctor there actually asked me if I was gay. I asked why? She just asked again and asked if i was a needle drug user or what my HIV risks were. I told her I wasn't gay (I'm not gay and have never had relations with other men), not a drug user and told her I wasn't recently exposed to HIV because I didn't even think of "french kissing" as a risk. About a week later I developed tingling and numbness (which still lasts today) in my feet and legs up to my knees. A week after that I saw a neurologist who diagnosed me with "post infectious neuropathy" or a mild form of Guillain Barre syndrome. I tested negative via rapid test about 8 times up to 14 weeks after the french kissing incident. I felt fine and was told I was in the clear but now I keep getting sick. It's about a year later now and I'm wondering if I need to get tested again. I read many sites that many people who display HIV ars symptoms and test negative for other more common illnesses should get tested at 6 months and maybe even 12 months. I'm very worried again because I don't know what was wrong with me and this whole time I've been having sex with my girlfriend. I definitely don't want to give her anything. Is it really possible that I got HIV from making out and maybe didn't test pos yet? Or did I just have a random virus or something? Does anybody have any thoughts?

You have reliably tested negative for HIV and there's no reason that I can see to doubt that you are still HIV negative. Quite sometime back Ann suggested that if you and your gf were going to be having unprotected intercourse it would be wise to get tested together and establish that you are both HIV negative. That is if you if you both are in a securely monogamous relationship.

Whatever your symptoms are they have nothing to do with HIV. Discuss them with your doctor(s) if they continue.

And please keep all of your entries in this same thread as you have been asked to do previously. Thanks for your cooperation.

sorry...i couldn't find my old thread...do i need to retest again over that incident considering my symptoms? i read that if one displays the symptoms but tests negative at 3 months that they should test again at 6 months...so what should i do considering I had every single symptom in the book? and yeah I know all I did was make out with the girls but I tested negative for all the more common viruses...any thoughts?